Disclaimer: The rights to Ace attorney belong to Capcom. I own nobody...maybe except for one or two characters in this story.
Turnabout Matrimony
Phoenix sighed as he paced around the courtroom lobby with a look of slight worry on his face, his thoughts buzzing like bees in a hive.
Today was the day, the first day of the trial that would decide the fate of Apollo and Juniper's relationship and future. It was a day that had been on the attorney's mind non-stop since that fateful day at the church, it was a day that almost made Phoenix shudder from worry:
The trial of Junie.
Thankfully, Trucy had convinced Apollo to not join the defence team in this one. Phoenix and Athena felt that this case would have been too close to the red clad attorney, not only that but he would probably have been blinded by his emotions should he have taken being the lead of the defence.
Trucy had decided to help keep Polly distracted for the time being, it can't have been the easiest task but Phoenix had trust that his daughter could come up with something.
Phoenix combed his spiky hair with a hand, feeling the stress pile up like a stack of books falling on top of each other. His face was starting to become encased in a thick layer of sweat and he even felt his jaw tightening as his teeth started to chatter. He didn't know if it was from the cold or if it was from how nervous he was becoming.
But then, making the ace attorney jump, a chirpy voice called out towards him in a singing tone more than a exclamation "Morning, Mr. Wright~"
Phoenix whirled on his feet to see Athena who had somehow managed to look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed despite the promises of the difficult trials that would more than likely lie ahead.
She wore a very big smile on her face as she merrily skipped over towards her mentor, ignorant to the less-than-happy atmosphere in the room and she even grinned from ear-to-ear upon reaching him.
Phoenix actually thought that Athena would have been a bit more anxious but he needed all the optimism he could get so he didn't bother complaining, it would have been stupid to moan anyway.
"Morning, Athena! Did you get a goodnights sleep?" The spiky-haired attorney asked.
Athena nodded cheerily in response as she gave Phoenix a big thumbs up. She also lifted her shoulders in a shrug as she replied nonchalantly "Meh, I slept fine."
Even though there were very faint dark rings around her eyes, it proved that she didn't sleep as well as she was claiming but Phoenix decided to leave that issue alone since it didn't matter now that the trial was going to start soon. Phoenix knew that he had to stay focused or else doom this trial and that was something he could NOT do, no matter how bleak the circumstances looked!
He wasn't about to let Apollo nor Juniper down!
The yellow-wearing attorney sighed and asked her boss "You're nervous, aren't you?"
Phoenix didn't answer as he simply sat down on the sofa and buried his face in his hands. He took in a deep breath and then exhaled, blowing out a massive sigh, as he tried not to let it be known that he was more nerve-wracked than ever. This was a trial with so much weight depending on it that it rivalled even Matt Engarde's trial.
He didn't wish to upset his protégé, though, so he looked back up at her and put on the best smile he could...but it wasn't fooling Athena.
The young lady simply furrowed her brows at the older adult and gave him a very skeptical glower as she supportively patted his strong shoulder "Boss...It's okay to be nervous; there is a lot on stake for this trial, and everything."
Phoenix simply scratched the back of his head "I know, I know. I'm just feeling the pressure." He then spared a grin at Athena "I'm glad that Ms. Woods isn't here to see me as a nervous wreck..."
"I don't think you're a wreck, Mr. Wright..."
Jumping but not screaming, both attorney's whirled in the direction of the new voice and discovered that their client, Juniper Woods, was standing before them with a somber smile etched on her face.
But there was something about her that looked somewhat broken.
Her eyes were bloodshot and glassy, her skin was pale, her hair was slightly matted and unkept. Her soft-spoken voice was hoarse and strained, clearly raw from all the crying she had undoubtably done during her many hours of confinement. Even though she had been in prison for a day she looked like she had been locked up for months, maybe even years.
Juniper was probably in so much pain from her wedding being ruined, and not only that but her grandmother being killed and her being accused for said killing.
Athena looked like she was about to cry when her eyes lain upon her best friend, all former enthusiasm gone as she felt her heart break for her best friend.
She wanted to run over to juniper and hug her but she knew she had to do what was best and try and get some faith back into those shattered eyes.
She smiled softly at Junie and gently lowered her hand to rest it on Juniper's shoulder "D-Don't worry, we'll get you back with Apollo before you can say "objection!"...Ain't that right, Mr. Wright?"
Phoenix perked up when he heard his name and heard and he found himself looking into the dejected eyes of his client. He knew he had to perk up, he was probably spreading some depression into the courtroom lobby and he decided to try and be happier. He couldn't have his co-council/student and client being so down, that just would not do in the slightest.
The attorney in blue slowly stood up from the sofa and went to console the two young ladies with a very soft smile stretching on his lips.
"Yes...that's right..." He said, walking over to Athena and Juniper and he even took on the tone of a comforting father whom started to soothe his children when they were terrified. Being a father to Trucy proved to have been invaluable in court since he had learnt to be more empathetic to children and how they were feeling, just what kind of man would he be if he would not care for a young lady who needed some comfort?
Gripping gently on to Junie's shoulders, Phoenix tried reassuring the young bride-to-be. He looked her right in the eye and he put in a lot of sympathy in his voice. He didn't want to let the young woman nor Apollo down.
"I know that what happened yesterday was shocking but I promised that I would get both you and Apollo back on that alter. I will try my best to get you acquitted, but you have to trust me. Can you do that?"
Juniper frowned as if dwelling on the older attorney's words.
A small light returned to her fudge brown orbs as she glanced down timidly at her feet and she seemingly pondered on what had just been said to her, she wanted nothing more than to go and start her new life with Apollo. She wanted him to hold her in his arms and rest her head against his chest to hear the sweet soothing thumps of his strong heart, she wanted to hear the symphony of his heart lull her to sleep like a lullaby.
But Juniper knew that the only way to achieve that dream was to trust Mr. Wright and Athena and she could do that without a problem.
Thena was her best friend and both she and Phoenix previously defended her during that bombing case and she knew that they could be trusted with her life.
So, wiping some stray tears, the nodded and managed a small but heartfelt smile "Al-Alright...I trust you." She smiled at both Athena and Phoenix, hope beginning to shine in her eyes again as her look of heart-breaking depression had melted and made way for a much more faithful expression as she smiled a little.
But then came the announcement of the trial commencing and, with looks of determination, the trio marched right into the courtroom with their heads looking straight towards the future.
The court room was full of the constant chatter and gossip of the civilians that lounged about in the gallery benches, their individual conversations being lost in the ocean of rambling and constant blathering which had bred and multiplied like dust collecting on a single long since unused piece of furniture.
The pair of attorney's hadn't expected such an enormity of the public to be present and a huge lot of them just so happened to have been present at the wedding yesterday.
There was a unanimously ceaseless twittering that chirped in the attorney's, the defendants and the prosecution, Gaspen Payne's ears. They almost had to cover their ears but they fought off the overwhelming urge to do so as they simply decided to focus and wait for the trial to actually begin.
Phoenix and Athena stood behind the defence bench readily, their eyes narrowed determinedly at Prosecutor Gaspen Payne who was taking this quick time before the trial to chew on a toothpick and poke at some leftover greenery that had become stuck in between some of his teeth, looking into a mirror whilst doing this.
The attorney's and the prosecution were awaiting the judge to get himself ready for the court proceedings to begin.
He was running a little bit late, actually.
The poor judge had, apparently, been bustling around and he even had a couple of rambunctious grandchildren to take after. Of course nobody knew if this was true or not since the judge's life didn't bother them very much, except for Phoenix sympathising with the judge considering that his own office was overrun by two teenage girls and a young man whose voice could break windows.
He even had nightmares of tiny children running rampant in his office one day and that frightened him.
So, looking at Athena, Phoenix asked "Athena, you have any ideas who the witnesses are?"
Athena furrowed a brow and shook her head "Your guess is as good as mine."
The blue and yellow duo didn't say a word after this. They just stood there, trying to keep their eyes away from Payne picking at his teeth. Apparently Prosecutor Payne had sorted his cards and was ready to dish out all he had, even though Athena was sort of like an angry Pitbull by the way she sneered at the pompous prosecutor and was basically held back by the collar of her jacket.
The duo didn't want to have the unpleasant man standing opposite them reopen some very painful emotional wounds while awaiting a trial that was this important and they knew that Gaspen would more than likely enjoy seeing the young woman squirm with pain and when that happened, he would more than likely end up with more than a few injuries...by the hand of a certain red head.
Poor Juniper...she would probably be emotionally slaughtered up on that stand but Phoenix knew that he and Athena were going to protect her and use whatever legal methods they could to defend the young lady. Athena, especially; she wasn't going to allow Junie to get hurt while she was around.
The defence duo simply watched the judge bench for any sign of the old man in robes and, honestly, waiting for him like this was getting unbelievably boring. It was like watching paint dry and they even had to imagine more of how this trial was going to go, they didn't do much investigating yesterday but they knew that they could do anything as long as they used their heads.
But then, all of a sudden, the judge hobbled up the stairs towards the judge's podium but he was looking quite horrible. He looked more decrepit then normal and he also looked like he hadn't slept properly for weeks. His eyes were heavy and he would groan with each and every step he took and his hand was pressed against his back.
Even though his eyes held a sense of good natured cheer, unless it was serious.
It seemed that all those years had finally been catching up...
Phoenix, Athena, Juniper and Payne all held their breaths in preparation; the trial that would change two lives was about to start and nobody knew where it was going, yet they had all hope that wherever the trail leads then it would be a turning point of either good nor bad.
Each of their eyes flickered like candlelit flames as they each braced themselves for the beginning of the trial.
Never had any of them felt so ready in their lives, especially Phoenix who had sworn with every fibre of his being that he would reunite Apollo and Juniper together and settle this once and for all.
The spiky-haired ace attorney smirked determinedly and thought to himself (This is it; time to settle this once and for all!)
"A-Ahem..." The judge promptly cleared his throat "We shall now commence with the trial of Juniper Woods."
A/N: Well, we finally get to the beginning of the trial and I can't wait to show you where this leads but if I take awhile to update this then don't think I have abandoned it because that's not it, it's just my tummy being mean and me not having the motivation to properly write.
But I hope you liked this chapter.
Lets see where this leads, shall we?
Reviews would be very much appreciated.
-Chloemcg
